Rough Seas

It's very rare for summer visitors to see the sea around Altinkum like this

The fisherman got soaked several times while we watched ... dedication or stupidity???

 

Kusadasi

Kusadasi has this new walkway

Where? Well it's over the TOP of a new shopping and café complex by the marina

The roof of the complex is all planted up with shrubs and cactii

and there is also a viewpoint that overlooks the marina

Why oh why can't someone at Didim council have some vision like this?

Underneath are cafés and shops and gardens ...

as well as some lovely water features.

Oh, by the way, for those readers who use the Attinc for great value meals through the year ... it is currently being totally refurbished, so unfortunately totally closed!!!

Birthday celebrations ...Continued

Once we had opened the cards and breakfasted, we headed for Kusadasi and the Charisma Hotel

It's a beautiful place on the seafront by the marina.

There the hotel spoiled us, and also provided this complimentary birthday cake.

Oh well, the diet will have to start tomorrow.

 

Sue's birthday

Today is Sue's birthday and look who's come to help open the pressies and the cards!!
 

Pre-Birthday Bash

This afternoon we had a pre-birthday bash for Sue at Ozsut. Some naughty cakes, some lovely coffee and some great company were the order of the day.

Ann had also kindly made a beautiful cake to celebrate the day. Thanks to everyone who attended and especially to Ann for the lovely cake.

 

Relaxing in our bike basket

Just lounging around in the sun ... it's so good to get the rays on your tummy isn't it?
 

The Red Palm Weevil

This palm is obviously suffering

Today a team from the Belediye and a gentleman from The Agriculture Ministry turned up to remove it, as it was infested by the red palm weevil. Apparently the beetle has been demolishing palm stocks around the Mediterranean since the late '80s. 

Using the JCB the palm was quickly uprooted

and removed onto the back of a waiting lorry for disposal

This is the offending beastie ..

It lays around 200 eggs into young or injured trees at the crown or injury point. The eggs hatch into these larvae which then burrow up to a metre into the tree.

They continue to cause damage for about a month before exiting the tree, dropping to the base and forming a cocoon from the fibrous material found there amongst the leaf litter.

Then they proceed to turn into a chrysalis 

Eventually they emerge as adults and the cycle continues,

each cycle lasting around 6-7 weeks

 

Because of this pest hundreds of palm trees have had to be removed from Didim this year.

Construction Mania

This is the progress so far on the 4 houses being built at the top of our road. As you can see they are up to the 2nd level now, with one more level to add. As it is, it is already at the height of the house adjacent, so once complete it will tower over the rest of the neighbourhood.

Once the shell of these are finished, the builder is going to start on a similar construction on this plot.

Meanwhile in the next road, Sokak 218, they are installing sewer pipes using some very heavy machinery.

and just round the corner, yet another house is being constructed.

In all we think there are 7 or 8 new constructions going on around Yesilkent, and what we would like to know is, where are the buyers coming from? as there is precious little sign of them recently ... not for this price range of property anyway.

Monastir

Today we decided to make the most of the continuing warm weather by taking a picnic to Monastir Beach. We were very lucky as we had it all to ourselves, soooo peaceful compared to at home at the moment. We were joined briefly by a young German couple and their dog, but all too soon it was time to pack up and head back to the noise of the construction site next to our home.